Shoe bottom ironing device



Oct. 13, 1953 Filed Jan. 29, 1952 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 a2. a0 9a 06 Y '14 y 96 9 'N I; J Inventor frman IV. Lee

Oct. 13, 1953 F. N. LEE 2,654,903

' SHOE BOTTOM IRONING DEVICE Filed Ja n. 29, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Oct. 13, 1953 F. N. L'EE 2,654,903

SHOE BOTTOM IRONING DEVICE Filed Jan. 29, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Herman N Lee Bg/u's firney Oct. 13, 1953 F. N. LEE 2,654,903

SHOE BOTTOM IRONING DEVICE Filed Jan. 29. 1952 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor Ferman N Lee Patented Oct. 13, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOE BOTTOM IRONING DEVICE Ferman N. Lee, Danvers, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 29, 1952, Serial No. 268,715

18 Claims. 1

This invention relates to shoe-bottom ironing and is particularly concerned with the provision of a novel and improved device for applying heat and pressure to the lasted margin of upper materials along selected portions of the bottom of a shoe.

In the manufacture of shoes in which the lasted margin of the upper extends inwardly over the insole in substantially parallel relation to the bottom of the shoe, it has become a common practice to subject the overlaid lasted margin of the upper to heat and to pressure, directedboth heightwise of the shoe and inwardly from the edge of the shoe bottom, to flatten the lasted margin of the upper evenly and to iron it smooth on the insole before the outsole is placed on the bottom of the shoe. A machine for performing this so-called lasted-bottom ironing operation is disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,175,474, issued on October 10, 1939, in the name of Axel A. Lawson. As is explained in the Lawson patent, the ironing unit of the machine illustrated therein is adapted to operate on the lasted margin of the upper over the entire shoe bottom. However, such extensive shoe-bottom ironing may not be necessary, for example, if the lasted margin of the upper is adequately flattened and ironed, from the toe end of the shoe back to, or slightly beyond the ball portion, during the lasting of the toe and forepart of the shoe in certain types of lasting machines. Thus, the heated wipers of the lasting machine illustrated in United States Letters Patent 2,469,467, issued on May 10, 1949, in the name of Bernhardt Jorgensen, will function to flatten and iron the lasted margin of the upper along the forepart at the opposite sides of the shoe, while the toe-lasting machine may be provided with an auxiliary toe pressing apparatus of the type illustrated in United States Letters Patent 2,437,696, issued on March 16, 1948, in the name of Bernhardt Jorgensen which will flatten and iron the lasted margin of the upper at the toe end of the shoe. When shoes are prepared in the above manner, it is necessary only to flatten and iron the lasted margin of the upper at the heel end of the shoe and forwardly therefrom, at the opposite sides of the shank of the shoe, to the ball portion.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a novel and improved device for use in bottom ironing which is adapted to operate from the heel end of the shoe forwardly, through the shank, to the ball portion. Thus, in accordance with a feature of the invention, the herein illustrated device comprises a block provided with a generally flat operating surface adapted to iron the lasted margin of the upper around the heelseat portion of the shoe, and two sets of articulated shank-ironing members, hinged to said block and each shaped to present a curved op erating surface adapted to iron the lasted margin of the upper at the opposite sides of the shank portion of the shoe. Preferably, and as herein illustrated, the ironing device is supported for pivotal movement as a unit, in order that the generally flat operating surface of the heelironing block and the curved operating surfaces of the articulated shank-ironing members may conform generally to the shape of the heel seat and shank portions of a shoe as the bottom of the shoe is brought into contact with the device. Also, the articulated shank-ironing members are connected together and to the heel ironing block by means of a series of equalizing levers which permit relative movement between the shankironing members and the heel-ironing'block so that the ironing pressure is equally distributed over the entire heel seat and along the shank portion of the shoe, when the shoe is forced against the ironing device. Associated with the aforementioned equalizing levers and the heelironing block and the sets of articulated shankironing members are coil springs which tend to swing the articulated members about their hinged connection to the heel block in directions to cause their curved operating surfaces to assume a minimum radius of curvature which is somewhat smaller than the radius of curvature of the steepest shank portion to be ironed. Thus, as the heel end and shank portion of a shoe are brought into contact with the operating surfaces of the device, the articulated shank-pressing members will be swung about'their pivotal connection to each other and about their hinged connection to the heel-ironing block and thereby caused to conform to the shape of the shank portion of the shoe.

Preferably, and in accordance with a further feature of the invention, the sets of articulated shank-ironing members are hinged to theheelironing block, adjacent to one edge of its operating surface, for pivotal movement about axes which are angularly disposed in such a manner that, as these sets of articulated members pivot thereabout, to conform to the shape of the shank portion of a shoe, they move toward each other. Hence, when the heel seat and shank portion of a shoe are brought into contact with and forced against the operating surface of the heelironing block and the operating surfaces of the two sets of articulated shank-ironing members, the operating surfaces of the latter, as they move toward each other, will apply pressure to the lasted margin of the upper and the shank portion of the shoe which is directed both heightwise of the shoe and inwardly from the edge of the shoe bottom. Also, because of the angular disposition of their pivotal axes, the operating surfaces of the shank-ironing members are inclined upwardly and inwardly, relatively to the marginal edges of the shank portion of the shoe, and the generally flat operating surface of the heel-ironing block is similarly shaped, or dished. Thus, when ironing pressure is ap plied to the lasted margin of the upper a wedging action is set up which tends to urge the upper materials inwardly from the edge of the shoe bottom. To facilitate their ironing actions, the heel-ironing block and the sets of articulated shank-ironing members are heated by means of electrical heating units installed directly therein.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will appear in the following detailed description of the preferred emb diment illus trated in the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a portion of a machine for ironing the bottoms of shoes provided with an ironing device embodying the features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l but showing only a portion of the machine at an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the ironing device operating on the bottom of a shoe;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the ironing device with certain parts shown in horizontal section substantially on line IV-IV of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a view in vertical section substantially on line V--V of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 6 is a view in end elevation of certain of the operating elements of the ironing device with one of those elements shown in vertical secticll substantially on line VI-VI of Fig. 2 and lookin in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to these drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, the ironing device, indicated generally by the reference character I0, is illus trated as associated with a shoe-bottom ironing machine which is operated by fluid under pressure. This machine has a fabricated shelf, or platform, I 2 supported at a convenient height in any desired manner, on which there are mounted four upwardly extending posts I4, I4. Secured to the upper ends of these posts is a plate It on which the ironing device is supported. Projecting downwardly from this plate are two side flanges !8, I0 and a central flange 20, Fig. 4, the side flanges each having an ear portion 22, Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The ironing device comprises a heelironing block 24, having a generally fiat operat ing surface 26, and hinged to the heel-carrying block, adjacent to one edge of its operating sur face, are two sets of shank-ironing members each including a pair of hinged-together, or articulated, blocks 28, 30. The blocks 28, 30 are provided, respectively, with curved operating surfaces 32, 34 which form continuations of theoperatin surface 2.6 of the heel-ironing block. The heelironing block is pivotally mounted on a cross shaft 36, carried by the ear portions 22, 22 of the side flanges I8, I8. Each of the blocks 28 is hinged to the heel-ironing block 24 by means of an integrally formed trunnion 40 which is journaled in a cylindrical recess 42 in the heel block, see Fig. 5, and is held in place by the keeper screw 44, Figs. 2 and 3, while each of the blocks 30 is hinged to its companion block 28 by means of an integrally formed trunnion 46, which is journaled in a bore 40 in the block 23 and is held in place by a keeper screw 50, Fig. 6.

Pivotally mounted on a pin 52, which extends through the flanges I8, I 8 and 20, are two equalizing levers 54, 54. On their left-hand ends, as viewed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, these levers engage the opposite ends of an equalizing lever 56 which is pivotally mounted on an upstanding web 58 formed on the heel-ironing block 24. Journaled 01.1 pins '50, 50 mounted in the righ-hand ends of the levers 54, 54 are two relatively short equalizing levers '62, 62, each provided, at its opposite ends, with adjustable abutment screws 64, 66 which are adapted t b ar. respec iv gain the upper ends of the blocks 2 0, Figs. 2. 3 an 4. Coil sprin s l0. l2 and 74. stretched twe n pins moun ed in the flan es l8. 18 in h optic site sides f the heel block 24 and in h outer sides of the blocks 28 and 30, tend to hold the several blocks of the ironin device l n ly in the positions in which they are shown in Figs. 1 and 2. However, as will presently appear, when the bott m of a hoe S is pre e inst h ironing device, these several blocks will be swun about their respective pivot points to an extent determined by the shape of the h l s t n shank portions oi the ho Referrin o Fi v1.. the iiu d r ur e at d mechani m for pressin t bottom of a o a ainst th ir nin de ice mp s a l ge P ton 80. m nted a cylind r 82. a a small p ton. or plun er 84. The cylind r 8 is bolted to a table 86 which is movabl suppo between the posts I4, I4, on a series of rollers 88, 88 car-. ried by the platform. or she f. 2.- The piston 0 has a piston rod. 30 h ch x en upwa y through a 90V?! plate 32 Secured t0 t upp end of the cylinder 8.2, while the ow r end of i cylinder is closed by a fill r lo k 4 which rests on the table 86. This fill r bl ck i r i e h a centrally located boss nd bo e 96 i wh the plunger 84 is received. and with an oil-center port as. A pair of flexible con ui 9 I ar secured to the table 85 and are in communication, respectively, with the bore 96 and the port 98.

Extendin throu h the pi n 80 is n openin I04 with which there is associated a check valve I06, arranged to permit the flow of fluid down.- wardly through the opening I04 and to prevent the flow of fluid through the piston in a reverse direction. A coil spring I08 tends to hold the,

piston 80 in the lowered position in which it is shown in Fig. 1 and resting a ainst the boss 95. Near its upper end, the cylinder 82 has an inlet port I I0 and an outlet port I I2 and connected to the inlet port is a conduit III! which leads to a suitable source of fluid supply, not shown, to keep the cylinder 80 filled to the level etermined by the outlet port H2. The conduits I00 and I02 are connected respectively to a source of fluid under pressure, not shown, and suitable valves, not shown, are provided for controlling the flow of fluid under pressure into, a d exhaust from, these conduits. .As wi l be appa ent, e fl id un P es ure is admitt d o t e con uit I the plunger 84 will be el ate togethe i h e i ton .80 and the iston r d 9. unde a relatively light f rce due to the small a ea of this lun r- As the piston 00 is thus moved upwardly, the check valve I06 will open to permit the transfer of fluid through the opening I04 so that the space beneath the piston 80 is kept full of fluid. Now. when fluid under pressure is admitted to the conduit I02, the piston 80 and piston rod 90 will be moved upwardly under a considerably greater force due to the large area of the piston 80. Subsequently, when these two conduits are connected to exhaust, the spring I08 will return the parts to the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 1.

Supported on the upper end of the piston rod 90 is a bracket I20 on which there is pivotally mounted, by means of a pin I2I, an intermediate member I22, see Figs. 2 and 3. Fitted in an arcuate recess I24, formed in the intermediate member, is a block I25 having an arcuate side I28 which is slidable in the recess I24 to the extent permitted by a pin I30, carried. by the intermediate member I22 and passing through a slot I32 in the block I26. Projecting upwardly from the block I26 is a relatively short last pin I34. As will be apparent, when a shoe on its last is placed on the block I26, with the last pin I34 entering into the hole in the last, the shoe may be rocked about any one of three axes extending, respectively, heightwise, transversely and lengthwise of the shoe. Also, the shoe may be displaced in a rectilinear path, generally parallel to its length, and thus positioned relatively to the ironing device I0, by causing the table 86, and the parts carried thereby, to move along on the rollers 08, 88. However, when the shoe is released by the operator, it will, unless otherwise restrained, as by being pressed against the ironing device, fall into a receiving trough I40 which is mounted between the two posts l4, I4.

In using the machine which has just been described, the operator places a lasted shoe S on the block I26 and causes fluid under pressure to be admitted to the conduit I00. As the Piston 80, piston rod 90 and the shoe S are elevated by the plunger 84, and as the heel seat and shank portion of the bottom of the shoe approach the operating surfaces 26, 32 and 34 of the heelironing block and the shank-ironing members, see Fig. 2, the operator displaces the shoe in a lengthwise direction to position it relatively to the ironing device and, if necessary, also swings, or rocks, the shoe, to level its heel seat and shank portion with respect to the aforementioned operating surfaces just before these parts are brought into contact therewith under a relatively light pressure. Next, the operator causes fluid under pressure to be admitted to the conduit I02 so that the heel seat and shank portion of the shoe bottom are pressed very firmly against the operating surfaces 28, 32 and 34 of the ironing device under the relatively high pressure provided by the piston 80, Fig. 3. After the shoe has been subjected to the ironing pressure for the desired period, the operator causes the conduits I00, I02 to be connected to exhaust and, as the piston 80 is moved downwardlly by the spring I08, the shoe will fall into the receiving trough I40.

As has been explained above, the operating surfaces 32, 34 of the blocks 28 and 30 of each of the sets of shank-ironing members form curved operating surfaces which are continuations of the relatively flat operating surface 26 of the heelironing block 24. The operating surfaces 32, 34 of the blocks 28, 30 ar so shaped, and the relative tensions of the springs I0, I2 and T4 are such that, before the heel seat and shank portions of a shoe have been brought into contact with the 6. ironing device, the blocks 28, 30 are swung in. a counterclockwise direction, Figs- 2 and 3, relatively to the block 24, and the radius of curvature of the operating surfaces formed by these sets of blocks is somewhat less than the radius of curvature of the steepest shank portion to be handled. Also, the generally flat operating surface 26 of the heel-ironing block 24 is maintained in a generally horizontal position. Hence, just as soon as the heel seat and shank portions of a shoe are brought into contact with the ironing device, under the relatively light pressure provided by the plunger 84, the ironing device will rotate slightly as a unit until the operating surface 26 lies more or less flatly on the heel-seat portion and with the operating surfaces 32, 34 of the shank-ironing blocks 28, 30 conforming roughly to the shape of, but separated somewhat from, the shank portion of the shoe. Now, since the pivotal axis of the block I26 is horizontally offset from th axis of the shaft 30, when the shoe is forced against the ironing device under the higher pressure, produced .by the piston 80, the heel block 24 will be rotated still farther and, through the actions of the equalizing levers, the articulated blocks 28, 30 will be swung, in clockwise directions, about their respective hinged connections to each other and. to the heel-ironing block until the curved operating surfaces 32, 34 of the shank-ironing members are caused to conform very closely to the curved shank portion of the shoe. Inasmuch as the heel block 26 and the two sets of shank-ironing blocks 28, 30 are interconnected by means of the several equalizing levers 54, 54, 56, 62, 62, these blocks now function, in effect, like a rigid unitary block with a continuous unyielding operating surface which conforms substantially to the shape of the heel seat and shank portions of the shoe.

As will be apparent from Fig. 4, the cylindrical recesses 42, 42 which receive the trunnions 40, 40 of the blocks 28, 28, are angularly disposed in a horizontal plane. Also, as will be apparent from Fig. 5, these cylindrical recesses are angularly disposed in a vertical plane. Because of the angular disposition of these cylindrical recesses, when the shank-ironing blocks 28, 30 are swung about these trunnions, in a clockwise direction relatively to the heel-ironing block, Figs. 2 and 3, as the shank-ironing blocks are caused to conform to the shape of the shank portion of the shoe, these sets of shank-ironing members, i. e., the blocks 28, 30 will move slightly toward each other. Accordingly, in the shank portion of the shoe, the ironing device will apply pressure to the lasted margin of the upper on the bottom of the shoe which is directed both heightwise of the shoe and inwardly from the edge of the shoe bottom. Refering again to Figs. 5 and 6, it will be noted that, due to the inclination of the cylindrical recesses 42, 42, in a vertical plane, that the operating surfaces 32, 34 of the shank-ironing blocks 28, 30 are inclined out of the horizontal plane to conform generally to the transverse contour of the shoe bottom in the shank portion thereof. Similarly, the operating surface 25 of the heel-ironing block 24 is slightly dished as will be apparent from Fig. 5, to conform to the shape of the bottom of the shoe in the heel-seat portion thereof. Because of the inclinations oi the operating surfaces 32, 34 and the dished shape of the operating surface 26, when the lasted margin of the upper is subjected to the relatively high pressure, a wedging action is produced which tends, in addition to the inward movements of the blocks 28, 30, to urge the lasting mar in of the upp r inwardly toward-th center of the 'bottom'of the she con ection with the above, it may be explained that he expression "generally chat is herein applied t the operating surface 26 :Of the heel-ironing block 24, it is used in a somewhat limited sense and is intended to distinguish the character of this generally flat operating surface from the operating surfaces 32, '34 of the shank-ironing blocks 23, 3.0, which have a pronounced lengthwise curvature.

In order to augment their ironing and smoothing actions, the heel-ironing block 24 and the shank-ironing blocks 28 and 3-0 are provided, respectively, with electrical heating units [53, I52 and i545. As willbe understood, these heating units are connected to a suitable source of electrical energy, not shown, and are under the control of thermostatic devices for regulating the temperatures of the operating surfaces 26, 28

and 30.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire :to secure by Letters Patent .of the United States is: L

1. A device for use'in ironing the shank and heel-seat portions of the bottoms of shoes comprising a heel-ironing TblOCk provided with a generally flat operating surface, two sets of shankironing members hinged to said ironing block, adjacent to one edge of its operating surface, each of said sets of shank-ironing members including a number of articulated blocks shaped to provide a curved operating surface forming a continuation of the operating surface of the heeli-roning block, and means associated with said heel-ironing block and said sets of shank-ironing members for causing the generally flat operat ing surface of the heel-ironing block and the curved operating surfaces of said sets of shankironing members to conform to the shape of the flat heel seat and curved shank portion of a shoe, in response to pressure of the shoe bottom against said surfaces.

2. A device for use in ironing the shank and heel-seat portions of the bottoms of shoes comprising a heel-ironing block provided with a generally flat operating surface, two sets of shankironing members hinged to said ironing block, adjacent to one edge of its operating surface, each of said sets of shank-ironing members including a pair of articulated blocks shaped to provide a curved operating surface forming a continuation of the operating surface of the heelironing block, means associated with said heelironing block and said sets of shank-ironing members for causing the generally flat operating surface of the heel-ironing block and the curved operating surfaces on said sets of shank-ironing members to conform to the shape of the fiat heel seat and curved shank portion of a shoe, in response to pressure of the shoe bottom against said surfaces.

3. A device for use in ironing the shank and heel-seat portions of the bottoms of shoes comprising a heel-ironing block provided with a generally flat operating surface, two sets of shank-ironing members hinged to said ironing block, adjacent to one edge of its operating surface, each of said sets of shank-ironing members including a number of articulated blocks shaped to provide a curved operating surface forming a continuation of the operating surface of the heel-ironin block, and means including equa izing levers associated with said articulated blocks and with said sets of shank-ironing memher and said heel-ironing block for causing the enerally flat operating surface of the heel ironing block and the curved op r ting surfaces on said sets of shank-ironmg members to conform to the shape of the flat heel seat and curved shank portion .of ashoe, in response to pressure of-the shoe bottom against said surfaces.

4. A device for use in ironing the shank and heal-seat portions of the bottoms of shoes com prising a heel-ironing block provided with a generally flat operating surface, two sets of shank-ironing members hinged to said ironing block for pivotal movement about angularly dis posed axes, adjacent .to one edge of its operating surface, each of said sets of shank-ironing mem. bers including a number of articulated blocks shaped to provide a curved operating surface forming a continuation of the operating Surface of the heel-ironing block, and means associated with said heel-ironing block and said sets of shank-ironing members for causing the generally flat operating surface of the heel-ironing block and the curved operating surfaces on said sets of shank-ironing members to conform to the shape of the flat heel seat and curved shank portion of a shoe, in response to pressure of the shoe bottom against said surfaces.

5. A device for use in ironing the shank and heel-seat portions of the bottoms of shoes comprising ,a heel-ironing block provided with a generally flat operating surf-ace, two sets of shankironing members hinged to said ironing block for pivotal movement about angularly disposed axes, adjacent to one edge of its operating surface, each of said sets of shank-ironing members including a pair of articulated blocks shaped to provide a curved operating surface forming a continuation of the operating surface of the heel-ironing block, and means associated with said heel-ironing block and said sets of shankironing members for causing the generally flat operating surface of the heel-ironing block and the curved operating surfaces on said sets of shank! ironing members to conform to the shape of the fiat heel seat and curved shank portion of a shoe, in response to pressure of the shoe bottom against said surfaces.

6. A device for use in ironing the shank and heel-seat portions of the bottoms of shoes comprising a heel-ironing block provided with a generally flat operating surface, two sets of shankironing members hinged to said ironing block for pivotal movement about angularly disposed axes, adjacent to one edge of its operating surface, each of said sets of shank-ironing members including a pair of articulated blocks shaped to provide a curved operating surface forming a continuation of the operating surface of the heel-ironing block, and means including equalizing levers associated with said articulated blocks and with said sets of shank-ironing members and said heel-ironing block for causing the generally fiat operating surface of the heel-ironing block and the curved operating surfaces on said sets of shank-ironing members to conform to the shape of the fiat heel seat and curved shank portion of a shoe, in response to pressure of the shoe bottom against said surfaces.

'7. A device for use in ironing the shank and heel-seat portions of the bottoms of shoes comprising a heel-ironing block provided with a gen erally flat operating surface, two sets of shankironing members hin ed to said ironing block for pivotal movement about angularly disposed axes, adjacent to one edge of its operating surface,

each of said sets of shank-ironing members including a number of articulated blocks shaped to provide a curved operating surface forming a continuation of the operating surface of the heelironing block, means including equalizing levers associated with said articulated blocks and with said sets of shank-ironing members and heelseat ironing block for causing the generally flat operating surface of the heel-ironing block and the curved operating surfaces on said sets of shank-ironing members to conform to the shape of the fiat heel seat and curved shankportion of a shoe, in response to pressure of the shoe bottom against said surfaces, and means for heatingsaid heel-ironing block and said articulated blocks.

8. A device for use in ironing the shank and heel-seat portions of the bottoms of shoes comprising a heel-ironing block provided with a generally flat operating surface, two sets of shankironing members hinged to said ironing block, adjacent to one edge of its operating surface, each of said sets of shank-ironing members including a number of articulated blocks shaped to provide a curved operating surface forming a continuation of the operating surface of the heelironing block, means for support n said device for pivotal movement as a unit, and means as- ,sociated with said heel-ironing block and said sets of shank-ironing membersfor causing the generally fiat operating surface of the heel-ironig block andthe curved operating surfaces on said sets of shank-ironing members to conform to the shape ofthe fiat heel seat and curved shank portion of a shoe, in response to pressure of the shoe bottom against said surfaces. c

9. A device for use in ironing the shank and heel-seat portions of the bottoms of shoes com prising a heel-ironing blockprovidedwith a, generally flat operating surface, two, sets, of shankironing members hinged to said ironing block, adjacent to one edge ofits operating surface, each of said sets of shank-ironing members including a pair of articulated blocks shaped to provide a curved operating surface forming a continuation of the operating surface of the heel-ironing block, means for supporting said device, for pivotal movement as a unit, and ,means associated with said heel-ironing block andflsaid sets of shank-ironing members for causing the generally flat operating surface of the heel-ironing block and the curved operating surfaces onsaid sets of shank-ironing members to conform to the shape of the flat heel seat and curved shank portion of a shoe, in response to pressure of the shoe bottom against said surfaces.

10. A device for use in, ironing the shank and heel-seat portions of the bottoms of shoes comprising a heel-ironing block provided with a gen; erally flat operating surface, two sets of shankironing members hinged to said ironing block, adjacent to oneedge ofits operating surface, each of said sets of shank-ironing members including a number of articulated blocks shaped to provide a curved operating surface forming a continuation of the operating surface of the heelironing block, means for supporting said device for pivotal movement as a unit, and means including equalizing levers associated with said articulated blocks and with said sets of shank-ironing members and said heel-ironing block for causing the generally flat operating surface of the heel-ironing block and the curved operating surfaces on said sets of shank-ironing members to conform to the shape of the flat heel seat and the curved shank portion of a shoe, in response to pressure of the shoe bottom against said surfaces.

11., A device for use in ironing the shank and heel-seat portions of the bottoms of shoes comprising a heel-ironing block provided with a generally fiat operating surface, two sets of shankironing members hinged tosaid ironing block for pivotal movement about angularly disposed axes, adjacent to one edge of its operating surface, each of said sets of shank-ironing members including a number of articulated blocks shaped to provide a curved operating surface forming a continuation of the operating surface of the heelironing block, means for supporting said device for pivotal movement as a unit, and means associated with said heel-ironing block and said sets of shank-ironing members for causing the generally flat operating surface of the heel-ironing block and the curved operating surfaces on said sets of shank-ironing members to conform to the shape of the flat heel seat and curved shank portion of a shoe, in response to pressure of the shoe bottom against said surfaces.

12. A device for 'use in ironing the shank and heel-seat portions of the bottoms of shoes comgenerally flat operating surface of the heel-ironing block and the curved operating surfaces on said sets of shank-ironing members to conform to the shape of the flat heel seat and curved shank portion of a shoe, in response to pressure of the shoe bottom against said surfaces.

13. A device for use inironing the shankand heel-seat portions of the bottoms of shoes'comprising a heel-ironing block provided with a generally flatoperating surface, two sets of shankironing members hinged to said ironing block for pivotal movement about angularly disposed axes, adjacent to one edge of its operating surface, each of said sets of shank-ironing members including a pair of articulated blocks shaped, to provide a curved operating surface forming a continuation of the operating surface of the heel-ironing block, means for supporting said device for pivotalmovement asa unit, and means including equalizinglevers associated with said articulated blocks and with said sets of shank: ironing members and said heel-ironingblock for causing the generallyfiat operating'surface of the heel-ironing blockand the curved operating surfaces on said sets of shank-ironing members to conform to the shape of the flat heel seat and curved shank portion of a shoe, in response to pressure of the shoe bottom against said surfaces.

14. A device for use in ironing the shank and heel-seat portions of the bottoms of shoes comprising a heel-ironing block provided with a generally flat operating surface, two sets 01' shank-ironing members hinged to said ironing block for pivotal movement about anguiarly disposed axes, adjacent to one edge of its operating surface, each of said sets of shank-ironing members including a number of articulated blocks shaped to provide a curved operating surface i i form aton ns t n o the o erat ur ac f th e -i onin 101001; m ans fo Suppming "said device for pivotal movement'as a unit, means including equalizing levers associated with said aiticulated blocks and. with said sets of shank ironing members and said heel-ironing block for "causing the generally fiat operating surface of the heel-ironing block and the curved operating surfaceson said sets of shank-ironing members to conffiorm to the shape of the flat heel seat and curved. shank portion of a shoe, in response to pressure of the shoe bottom against said surfaces, and means for heating said heel-ironing 7 block and the articulated blocks of said sets of continuation of the operatingsurface "of the I heel-ironing block, means associated with said heel-ironing biock and said 'setsof shank=ironing members for causing the generally flat operating-surface ct -the hel-irohingbi'ock and the curved operating surfaces-on said sets of shankironing members to -conform tothe shapeof the flat heel seat and curved-shank portion of 'a shoe, in response-topressure of the- Shoe bottom against said surfaces, said curved operating-surfaces of the-shank imning" members being inclined upwardly and; inwardly, relatively to the shank portion-of the shoe, toproduceawedgi'n'g action on theoverlasted margin of the upper materials as the bo't'to'mof' the shoe is pressed against said surfaces? *1 6 A device for use 'iniro'n-ing the shank and V heel seat'portions ofthebo'ttoms of shoes comprising ahe'eI-iron-ingblock provided with "a generallyflat operating surface; 7 two sets of shank-ironing members' hinged to said-ironing block, adjacent to -one--edge-- of-its opera-ting" sur faca eae'h of "said" sets of--'-shank'-iron ing members including a pair cfatticuiated biocks shaped to provide a curved-operating surface forming a continuation of th'e operating surface of the heel-ironing brook, means associated with "said heel-ironing "block and said sets of shank-ironingz memb'er's forcausing the generally flat open ating surfaceof theheI-imningblock and-the curved operating-surfaces on saidsets of shankironing: members to conform to theshaipe'of the flat heel seat and curved shankportion of a shoe, in response ta-"pressure of the shoe bottorn against said surfaces, 'said genera-11 v flat "operating surfaceon the heel-ironing block some inclined upwardly andinwardly, relatively tc the heel-seat portion of the shoe, and said curved operatir rg surfaces on the shankdroning members being inciinedupwardiy and inwardly, relatively to the shank portion of the shoe, to produce a wedging action on theoverlasted margmof the upper materials as "the bottom of the shoe is pressedagai-nst said-surfaces.

1'1. A device-for nsic in ironing the shank and heel-seat portionsof the bottoms of shoes e'omprisi'n-g a heel-ironing biock'provided-with a genera-Hy "flat operating surface, two sets of shankironing members hinged to said ironing block for pivotal movement about *angu-l arly disposed --axes, adjacent to one edge-of its-operating surface, eachof said" se'ts-of shank-ironing members including-a number-of articulated bl oc'ks shaped to provide a curved operating surface for ifl a 'continua-tionof the-opcrating suriace of the hoofironing block, and'mea-ns associated with said "heel -i-ronihgbloek arid said-sets-of shank-"ironing members for causing the generally flat operating surface of' the heel-ironing block and the curved operating surfaces on said sets of shank-ironing memberstoeonform to the shape of the fiat heel seat and curved shank-portion of a shoe, in response "to pressu-rdof the shoe bottom against said 'surfaces'; said singularly-disposed axes'bei'n'g 's'oarranged that the curved operating sq'iriaces on said shank-ironing members move toward each other-as t'hesesurfacesare thus caused to conform to the'shank portion of the shoe.

is. device for useinironing the sha'n'k and heel-seatportions-"of the bottoms of shoes comprising .aheeiqronihg block pi-ovided-with agenerally fiat'opcrating' surface; twosets of shankironing members hinged to said ironing block for-pivotal movement about singularly disposed axes, adjacent-to one-edge of its operating sun'- fa'ce',- each of" said sets of shank-ironing membersincludinga number of articulated blocks shapeii to provide a curved operating surface forming a conti'miationofthe operating surface of the heel -ironin'g block, andmeans associated with siai'd heel'ei'roning "-oIock and said sets of shank-ironing 'rnembers for causing the -g-c'ner'- ally iiat operatingsurface of the heel itoni'ng biock and the curve operating-surfaceson said sets or shame-iron membersto conform to the snapcfo'i die-fiat heeiseat and' curved' shank portion: one; shoe, iHTBSDUHS'B to pressure-of the shoe-bottom against saidsurtaces said angulttrlt ifisposed axes being so-arranged that the curved operating surfaces on' said shank-atoning members awmeunee upwardly and inward-1y; relatively to the shank portion ofthe-shoe; to produce a we'd'g ing actioiron the -overlasted' margin of the upper materials as the bottom- '-of the "shoe ite i l rssed against said-surfaces.

No refrences citeda 

